In anticipation of the launch of our new series of OPTIMUM Barrels, we wanted to reveal some of the deeper aspects that makes these barrels some of the best options available on the market.
First a family picture.
These all share similar characteristics.
Nothing is done to “check the box” or blindly duplicate what currently exists in the market.
Each one is purpose driven to fulfill a particular need.
I’m as much of a "just buy a Colt(well, Sionics these days) as anyone, but I do find myself using or recommending your barrels about 1/2 of the time. Interested to learn more.
And some of those deeper aspects are…? I’m always interested. I’d at least be assured of my gun not being over/under gassed, but what else will we get?
Sorry. I clicked the LINK.
My personal opinion on the specs. I think you’ve absolutely nailed the gas system specs on your barrel the profiles are also spot on.
To nitpick but def not hating on your product which I think is great BTW. Looking at the optimum lightweight specs I feel some of the choices are strange like 5r rifling and a 1/8 twist with a hybrid target crown. Its a bit confusing since you are essentially putting match grade barrel qualities into a lightweight fighting barrel which trades weight for accuracy. You then switch it up with your MPR barrel with a 6r rifling and 1/7 twist. The pricing considering its a QPQ barrel is also pretty steep getting into the FN or DD CHF territory.
What Im getting at is Im not sure what role the barrels are supposed to fill as a hard use fighting carbine barrel or precision barrel? I see you also have a SPR/match line which makes it even more confusing.
Thanks for the feedback.
The gas systems and profiles are where much of the focus has been.
The concept with those choices in the lightweight is those specs are not an “either/or” situation where one is clearly better for target use and less better for fighting use.
The difference between a 1/7 vs 1/8 twist will not make or break anything. Far more important is the spec which is never published - bore quality.
The crown description may be a bit confusing and we may modify that nomenclature in the future.
The concept with this whole line is to re-examine the possibilities, question conventional wisdom and make the best option available, regardless of what everyone else is or isn’t doing.
It certainly isn’t the easy way, but innovating rarely is.
Pricing is relative to value. We believe we have a compelling set of features with the performance to justify it.
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I look at many of the additions or variations from what you find in most barrels and have come to the conclusion “Why not both?” I think as the market continues to evolve, the consumer asks more and more of what they get for their dollar in a buyer’s market, and simply want more features in a given product.
For example, it absolutely may not matter, but why not have a target crown on that lightweight Barrel?
Barrel and Gas System Lengths Explained
16" EXT - The obvious general purpose length that needs no further explanation.
The EXT gas system certainly deserves some attention.
The Mid length gas system replicates the same “Power Time” as a 20" Rifle when used on a 16" barrel.
At first glance, this seems to be the correct approach, but duplicating one parameter at the expense of others leaves much to be desired.
A better approach is to scale the relevant timing parameters to keep everything in proportion.
Using this methodology, we developed the EXT gas system to be an OPTIMUM match for 16" barrels.
The EXT length is longer than Mid length but shorter than Rifle length.
This results in the widest operational envelope and the highest reliability possible.
14.0"MID - This length fulfills the need for a barrel that can be pinned and welded up to a non-NFA length using some of the longer muzzle devices available.
The conventional Mid length gas system works great with this length, as recently complete NSWC-Crane testing has proven.
Any device 2.67" or longer will work without using shims.
Some examples
BE Meyers 249F
SF Socom SF3P-556
SF Warcomp
Dead Air Flash Hider
Noveske KX5
SOLGW NOX Keymount
11.5" CAR - The middle ground in SBR lengths, it offers a great combination of velocity in a compact package that handles mixed suppressor use nicely.
The ubiquitous Carbine gas system pairs nicely with this length.
9.0" PDW - A BRT exclusive that smashes the conventional wisdom of a 10.5" minimum length for “serious use”.
That conventional wisdom is true, but based on a Carbine length gas system.
We created the PDW length gas system to handle a range of very short barrels and alternative calibers by splitting the difference between existing Carbine and Pistol lengths.
A 9" barrel and the PDW gas system are a perfect match in 5.56/.223.
How about 2580 FPS from M193 and M855?
This is a great alternative to 300BLK PDWs but uses common ammunition.
Sorry Clint, I replied to your email before I saw your forum post.
Clint, many companies like Surefire SOCOM RC2’s , Sig Sauer, Q , Silencerco Omega 300, etc. have a 10 " inch or more minimum barrel length restriction on their suppressors when used with 5.56 NATO pressure ammo. Do you think the BRT PDW length gas system on your 9" inch PDW barrel would be easier on the suppressor, where you could get away with going an inch under their recommended minimum barrel length , or would it not change anything with that at all? I would be using the Cherry bomb muzzle brake with an Omega 300.
Barrel length restrictions for suppressors are fundamentally based on muzzle pressure vs material strength.
Those determinations are made through testing or calculations with (presumably) some safety factor.
The gas system won’t change any of that.
The cherry bomb will help take some of the initial blast, so it may be fine, but getting an official OK would be worth a try.
What would SiCo say to using an aftermarket adapter and muzzle device and a shorter barrel on their suppressor?
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Very interested in trying this barrel out and seeing how it runs mk318 62 grain otms with my sandman s.
With the 6.75” barrel, is there ammunition that would reach effective terminal velocities? Very interesting.
The 55 and 62 grain Gold Dot / Fusion loads should work nicely.
According to these threads, they expand down to ~1700 fps.
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?90278-DocGKR-question-about-Speer-Gold-Dot-55gr-5-56
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?187117-How-short-of-a-barrel-is-speer-gold-dot-223-effective
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?65698-Federal-Fusion-223-Expansion-threshold
http://www.le.vistaoutdoor.com/ammunition/speer/rifle/details.aspx?id=24446
This should be another great combo with the 5/8-24 thread mount and unlimited barrel rating.
Damn Clint.
Dammit.
Your original 16" Optimum LW barrel has basically invalidated all my 16" middies…and I’ve sold them all because the 16" BRT Opt soundly outperforms all of them for my mixed use (50/50 can/no-can) when all factors are considered (weight, accuracy, recoil pulse, gas system function with suppressor). And I only ever owned properly gassed barrels from BCM, LMT, and Faxon (most recently). Even my agency supervisor, an accomplished shooter and experienced LEO, was immediately impressed at the soft recoil impulse despite my gun’s light weight and using just a BE Meyers ASR flash hider mount. He kept commenting on how smooth the recoil pulse was for such a lightweight gun.
But the 9" PDW is fascinating.
And so is the slightly heavier 16" med-con continuous taper barrel.
Ugh.
I’d love to spin Pappabear’s 338 Titanium sig can on one of the 11.5s. 
Clint-How is the contrast between the MPR and SPR barrel in a suppressed, LW scoped role? Have you had a chance to test the MPR on paper? I’m tempted to look at the MPR over the SPR due to the barrel steel and subzero temperatures we see here.
What is the Velocity with M193 and M855 in the 6P? I was Looking at getting a 12.5 barrel because I have 3 10.5 SBRs, and kind of want the extra inch. Also why 5/8x24 threads?